Don't Waste Your Heart On Me
by Bella4
Summary: It's done! Final chapter added 6/26. Sarah learns to love and be loved.
1. Time is Precious and its Slipping Away

Hey folks

Hey folks! This has been kicking around my head for some time now. This story is almost done, but some of the parts need drastic rewriting, so I don't know how long it will take to get all of it up. So please, read, enjoy, and tell me what you think. If it stinks, don't hesitate to tell me. Please forgive any mistakes I make, I do my own editing. 

Disclaimer: I don't own any Laby characters. They belong to Jim Henson Productions. Lucky them...."Don't Waste Your Heart On Me" belongs to the Dixie Chicks , and the title of this chapter belongs to Ricky Martin. I wish I owned him. There is one bit of dialogue in this chapter that is borrowed from the tv movie "Anne of Avonlea", which belongs to L.M. Montgomery.

**Don't Waste Your Heart on Me**

**Chapter 1**

Time is Precious and its Slipping Away

Sarah hummed along with the radio as she turned her car down a street she knew well. Even though it had only been a few months since her last visit to her childhood home, the neighborhood still seemed to grow smaller every time she visited. The trees grew taller, hiding the houses from passing cars on the road and filtering the summer sunshine into great splashes of color on the pavement. A smile spread across her face as Sarah spotted the house with its lights blazing and front door to reveal Toby frantically searching up and down the street for her car. Seeing her pull into the drive, he ran out to open her door and throw his arms around Sarah's neck before she could even unfasten her seat belt

"Whoa there, Kiddo! I know it has been a while since you saw me, but we just spoke on the phone last night." Sarah pried Toby's arms from her neck, grabbed her shoulder bag from the passenger seat, and climbed out of the car. Toby already had the trunk open and was lugging Sarah's suitcase towards the house.

"Gee Sarah, did you pack rocks or something? This sure is heavy!" Toby knew that Sarah always brought him a lot of presents when she visited.

"Yeah, I thought that you could take a break from the action figures and start collecting rocks instead."

Her father and Karen came rushing out of the house at the sound of Sarah's vioce and enveloped her in a crushing hug. The had swept her into the house, upstairs, and into her old bedroom to unpack before she could say two sentences to them.

"Dinner is in twenty minutes, Dear. Come down when you have settled," Karen called over her shoulder on her way back down the stairs.

Sarah's heart pounded as she looked around her old bedroom. She had not taken much else besides her clothes when she moved, so the room remained pretty much the same as it had when she was growing up. Her favorite books were there, as was the dinosaur pillows on her bed. Lancelot had even found his way back to the shelf. It was as if time had stood still in this room, waiting for the moment when she would come back and start it up again. Here and there, Sarah got a sense that someone had left the room just before she had entered, but she shrugged it off as probably having been Karen or Toby making sure that everything was perfect for her arrival.

Sarah unzipped her suitcase and began unpacking. On top of her clothes were several wrapped packages for Toby. She lifted them off and set them on the bed and continued to unpack while thinking about her brother. He had grown and changed so much since her last visit. He had outgrown the lisp that used to trouble Karen so much, and he had grown a patch of freckles across his nose. Sarah smiled as she thought back across ten years and how much her own life had changed since her journey in the Labyrinth. Things were so different now...

Sarah herself was not much different. A little older, a lot more mature, but still fiercely independent. Her strong will was more than some people could handle, but she didn't mind. She had always been a bit of a loner, anyway. She only had a few good friends that she cared to spend time with, and had had several boyfriends, none of which had come to anything serious. Of course, there was always Jareth.

Sarah stopped for a minute to think about how she and Jareth had come to their present situation. He had left her alone for nearly five years after she returned from defeating him. She still called the others once in a while to check up on them, but she never called him. Then, one day before her 21st birthday, she needed someone, anyone to talk to. She sat down at her dressing table as usual and, looking at her reflection in the mirror, had called out their names.

"Hoggle? Sir Didymous? Ludo? I need someone to talk to."

Nothing

"Fireys? Mr. Worm? Anybody?"

Still nothing.

Sarah concentrated harder, almost not seeing the blue costumes figurine standing next to her mirror. Before she could think, she blurted it out, furrowing her forhead.

"Jareth?"

"I can't believe that you would rather talk to a firey than talk to me. Was I really that mean to you?"

Sarah had turned to see Jareth standing at her window, looking exactly the same as he had when he took Toby. His presence had more of an effect on her that she cared to admit. He was so near that she could barely breathe.

"Uhh, no....ummm, I mean....ah well..." She dumbly searched for the right words to say.

"Don't tell me that I frighten you to the point of speechlessness. You used to stand up to me, and very articulately, I might add."

"I just didn't expect to see you, that's all. Where are the others? Did you do something to them, because if you did, I..." Sarah's eyes began to glitter with anger.

"Don't get yourself all worked up. Do you think that I would harm one hair on Hogbrain's head? I merely sent him on an errand."

"Oh. Well in that case, I will let you get back to you goblin kicking then. I'm sorry to interrupt." Sarah rose out of her chair and was headed for the door when Jareth had caught her hand and held it with both of his own.

"Is there anything I can do? You know that you need only wish it."

"If you insist. I wish that you would sit and listen to me. I have had a rough day, and I need a sympathetic ear."

"Consider your wish granted." Jareth had said as he settled himself into the chair near the window. 

So the previous five years had gone. Sarah had always called upon Jareth when she was troubled or just wanted some company. She had been close to tears several times when he arrived, and had always ended up crying because she was laughing so had when he left. He was there to dry her tears during her last night in her old bedroom, and to help her clear up the frustration of moving into her apartment shortly after their first conversation with each other. Sarah had been in her apartment only a few weeks when Jareth had asked her 'The Question'.

"Sarah are you happy here?"

"Of course I am. You know that my parents were driving me nuts. I had to get away. I am growing too independent, and it was time fro me to go." Sarah looked a little shocked because Jareth was so supportive of everything she did.

"No, I mean here. Aboveground. The noise and the crowds. How can you find any peace here? Don't you ever find yourself wishing for more?"

"What do you mean? This is the life that I have chosen for myself. Why wouldn't I be happy?"

"Sarah, I have waited years to say this to you. My love, you once were too young to understand my feelings for you. Now I offer my heart to you once again in hopes that you will finally see what you mean to me. Please say that my feelings for you are not unwarranted and that you feel something for me too." Jareth finished with a pleading look in his eyes. He felt so much more than he dared say, but he was afraid of scaring her.

"Jareth, I do love you, but as a friend. I know that I could not make you happy. I know that I would be unhappy, and wish that I'd never done it. I'm so sorry."

"One day. One day you will feel differently."

Sarah sighed as she broke out of her thoughts. Jareth had been the most constant thing in her life, yet she was still apprehensive about consenting to something she so desperately wanted. He never begrudged her rejections, even though he had tried to change her mind several times. She always managed to duck the question, or had brushed it off as nonsense. But still he remained, as he said he would. Never wavering in his affection, never making her guess his feelings. Always there for her even though she never returned the favor. She wondered how much longer he would wait.

"Sarah? Its time for dinner." Sarah heard Karen call from the bottom of the stairs. She put away the last few things from her suitcase, and stowed it in the closet.

"Time," she thought to herself, "It certainly does change things. Look at what it has brought me. I have a friend whom I never thought would be such when I met him. I wonder what Dad and Karen would say if they knew that I had befriended the Goblin King who kidnapped Toby? " She had to smile at their imagined reactions. She was still smiling when she reached the dining room table and sat down with the rest of her family.

* * * * * * * * *

Jareth sat in his throne room, occupied by a task that he was very fond of: watching Sarah through a crystal. He had watched her silently unpack her suitcase as though her mind were miles away. He had hoped that she would se the gift he had placed in her room only seconds before she entered. He knew that he had taken a chance in doing it, but he hoped that being in her childhood home would make her think about him more, but he couldn't be sure if it was working. That had been his intent when he gave her the idea to go home. She had grown pale and tired from her job at the publishing company, so he suggested that a visit to her family would be just the thing to bring her spirits back to normal.

He had watched Sarah grow into a beautiful woman over time. It was true what her offered her on their first encounter, but he realized too late that she couldn't possibly understand how he felt towards her. She was too young. But now, Jareth felt their connection become stronger as the days went by, knowing that it was only a matter of time before he finally had what he had loved from afar for so long.

His Sarah would be with him soon enough.

* * * * * * * * 

After tucking Toby into bed several times and helping clean up the dishes, Sarah said goodnight to her parents and climbed the stairs to her room. Opening the door, she noticed something shine in the darkened room on the table next to her bed. She snapped on the light and crossed the room in three steps, focusing on the object. It was a perfectly round crystal on a gold stand. The crystal looked like it contained a miniature sky within it. Sarah could see a dark blue sky filled with sparkling stars that seemed to wink at her when she rolled it back and forth in her hands. She placed the crystal back on its stand and picked up the note that lay beside it.

Dearest,

Welcome home. As before, I will always come when called. I remain

Forever Yours,

J

Sarah smiled to herself. So, there had been someone here immediately before she walked in this afternoon. Just as she was about to change into her pajamas, Sarah was startled by a noise coming through her open window. She turned, and there on the branches of the tree was a large white owl fringed in gold. She smiled and went over to the window.

"Goodnight, Jareth." she said, then closed the window with a snap and pulled the curtains to.

Please please please please review!


	2. I've Been Waiting For You All of My Life

Oh My Gosh

Oh My Gosh! You all are so good to me! Thank you thank you thank you to all of you who reviewed the first chapter! *Gets on her knees and does Ali Babas to the reviewers* Sniff sniff, I feel so honored...Okay, so I didn't make you wait long for this chapter, but the next one needs serious help. Hopefully I will have it up soon.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything! All the characters (thus far, he he he...) belong to the imaginations of someone else. Chapter title still belongs to Ricky Martin. Don't worry, not all of them will.

**Chapter 2**

I've Been Waiting For You All of My Life

Sarah was back in the crystal ballroom. All around her were familiar sights: the dancers wearing garish goblin masks, the ladies wearing ridiculously huge dresses, the strings of pearls and lengths of chiffon hanging from the chandeliers. Except, no one was laughing at her or whispering to each other while staring at her. They all stood quietly, as if waiting to receive orders or for someone to call for the music to start. Sarah began to move among them, and they cleared a path for her wherever she went. Each person she passed by murmured "Milady" and bowed their head ever so slightly. Feeling self-conscious, Sarah looked down to see that the dress she was wearing was made of deep lavender velvet with silver lace accents around the neckline and hem. She ran her hands over the soft folds of the full skirt, thinking that is was the most beautiful dress that she had ever seen. As she admired her dress, she got the feeling that someone was behind her, watching her every move. She squared her shoulders, lifted her head, and turned swiftly on her heal, determined to discover who was staring at her, only to walk right into Jareth's arms.

"Going so soon, are we?" His eyes twinkled and a smile played about his lips, "They did this all for you, you know. You should stay longer than just a few minutes."

"Who did this?" Sarah asked bewilderedly.

"They did." Jareth nodded towards the dancers who were now looking at the pair, "They wanted to make you feel more at home."

"But my home is nothing like this." She said, stepping away from him.

Jareth put a finger to her lips, "Hush, my dear. Just enjoy." Out of nowhere, a very slow waltz began to weave its way around the dancers, "Would you do me the honor of giving me the first dance?" He held out a gloved hand to her, and she shyly placed her own into the one offered. Jareth led her to an open space, then placed his right hand at her waist and began to move softly across the floor with her.

The silence between the two felt awkward to Sarah, so she started to speak about the first thing that she thought of.

"This doesn't feel the same as it did before."

"No, it doesn't."

"I suppose that is because no one is laughing at me now." Ugh, I feel like such an idiot! Sarah thought to herself.

"No, no one is laughing."

"And the last time I was here was because I ate the peach." I can't believe I just said that!

"You came of your own accord this time."

Sarah was quieted by this. She let the music wash over her and felt the rhythm created by their two bodies moving with the music. The waltz was slow and mournful, as if the composer was crying out for a lost love. After a while, Sarah's head grew heavy and she closed the space between her and Jareth by laying her head below his shoulder. Jareth brought her hand up to his chest and covered it with his own. Sarah saw the other people in the room fade away until it was just the two of them. They slowly danced on until the music stopped.

"Must it end?" Sarah asked as she looked up at him.

"Everything must end eventually. Except for one thing."

"What is that one thing?"

Jareth didn't answer.

"Jareth?" 

Still no answer. He began to fade as well.

Sarah heard a song from the latest boy band fill the ballroom. She covered her eyes with her hands. When she removed them, she found herself laying in bed in her room, with the alarm going off beside the bed. She swung her arm out to shut the alarm off.

"Dammit!"

She sat up in bed and rubbed sleep from her eyes. She flung back the covers on her bed, got up and crossed her room to the open window on the other side. The warm morning sunshine was pouring through the window, and Sarah could hear the sounds of sprinklers coming on and kids already riding their bikes up and down the street.

"Didn't I close this window last night?" She said out loud to herself. Her thoughts were interrupted when Toby burst into her room and ran over to hug her, still dressed in his pajamas.

"Good morning, Sarah! Mom told me to wait until you door was open, but I just couldn't wait anymore. What are we going to do today? Did you sleep good? Did you dream about anything?"

Sarah sighed at the string of question that Toby blurted out. "Yes, I did dream about something. It was a wonderful dream, too."

* * * * * * * * * *

Jareth watched to exchange between brother and sister. He felt a twinge of jealousy towards Toby, the child that Sarah used to hate so much but was willing to risk her life to save. Well, not risk her life really. She was never in any danger Jareth thought to himself. She only thought she was.

He was still standing in the ballroom in his finery as he watched Toby and Sarah. The room, which he had always had a fondness for, suddenly seemed empty and bare, despite the abundance of decorations. The dancers were gone, not even a trace of their shadows remained to give him comfort. Yes, Sarah had been there. She had created the scenario and had called upon him and the dancers to be a part of her fantasy. It was times like these when Jareth believed that Sarah returned his feelings. They seemed so close, so alike in their thinking that it was hard to imagine that she didn't love him.

"Don't we always want what seems beyond our reach?" Jareth said out loud. In all of his life, he had never met anyone like her. Sure, there had been many pretty girls who had wished a sibling away and been sent sobbing back to the Aboveground to live with the memories of their failure, but none had stood up to him as she had, much less solved the damn Labyrinth. There were no tears shed when she was faced with obstacles, unlike all the rest who had dissolved into a quivering mass when taking on the same challenges. The wise men in his father's court had always told him that his match would be a girl who could take on anything he put her through and come out stronger after defeating it. She would defiantly look him in the eyes and tell him exactly what she thought of him.. He would be cursed (or so he used to think) with being unfailingly faithful and loving to her. She would reject him time and again because of her own insecurities, but would one day see that they truly did belong together. 

When he was younger, Jareth traveled across the kingdoms Underground in search of his love. It was something he regretted later on when he began receiving invitations to every imaginable social activity from all of the kingdoms, ready and willing to marry off their most eligible maidens to the oh-so-available Goblin King. Week after week they came, only to be answered with rejections or even plain silence when he grew tired of having anything wearing a dress thrown at him.. 

When he first saw Sarah reciting her lines in the park, he wasn't even thinking that she would be the one. She was just a child playing make believe. Over the years, he checked on her every so often to see how she was. He watched the hurt in her eyes whenever her real mother brushed her aside, the arguments with her father and stepmother, and the despising way she looked at Toby after he was born. He thought about her more and more, until the day came when he didn't go more than a few hours without thinking of her. When she called on the goblins to take Toby away, he knew that he had fallen in love with her. As she traversed the Labyrinth and defied him time after time, he came to the realization that she was the one who was meant for him.

Jareth wearily rubbed his eyes, and with a flick of his wrist was changed into more casual garb and transported into his bedroom. Sarah was awake and needed time with her family, and what he needed was a nice long nap.

* * * * * * * * *

Sarah picked up the wet frying pan and rubbed it dry with the dishcloth. She listened as Karen chattered away about all of the latest gossip about the neighbors while washing the breakfast dishes and setting them on the counter for Sarah to dry.

"The Smith's bought a new dog that has chewed up everything. They've had to replace so many things that they are thinking about taking him to a farm and just giving him to the owners."

"Hm..."

"And then John across the street just up and quit his job last month. Said the walls were closing in on him or something."

"Oh"

"What about you?" How is work lately?" Karen handed her some plates.

"Oh fine. Very busy lately. A lot of new authors signing contracts, so we have to negotiate all of the option packages to make them happy." Sarah dried the plates and put them away. She and Karen worked on in Silence. Karen finished with the glasses and sat them on the counter. Sarah picked one up and began to dry it.

"How is Jareth? You two still seeing a lot of each other?"

The glass that Sarah was holding slipped out of her hand and shattered on the tile.

"Oh my goodness, Sarah, are you hurt? Did I say something wrong?" Karen stooped to pick up the shards of glass on the floor. "You two didn't have a fight, did you?"

"No, no. Not at all. The glass just slipped from my hand. Jareth is fine. Don't try to pick up the glass with your hands. You'll cut yourself. Let me get the broom." 

Sarah carefully crossed the kitchen to retrieve the broom, remembering that her parents saw Jareth as a friend from Sarah's work. In her mind, Karen had blown their relationship into something bigger than it was and Sarah played along just to keep her happy. Now that she thought about it, she did seem to mention his name quite often in letters and in phone calls to her parents. It would be natural for them to think that she and Jareth were seeing each other. It was just as well. At least they weren't bugging her about dating. Sarah had thrown herself head first into her work, and the last thing she wanted to think about was a relationship. Her work was her life, and she wanted to keep it that way. She had settled into a self-imposed singleness, one that was not threatened by any of the men that she worked with, or by any of the blind dates that she had been set up on. So, the charade went happily undetected. 

Sarah returned to the kitchen, broom and pan in hand. As she swept the shards into the pan, Karen resumed her endless chatter.

"You know the Robertson's daughter Jessica? She went out and found someone who would actually marry her! Can you believe it? That catty little witch will actually get married. And of course she has registered at the most expensive places in town. Although I have to say that the crystal she picked out is some of the prettiest I have seen."

Sarah stood and emptied the pan into the garbage, absentmindedly replying, "Yes his crystals are lovely. They are flawless. So perfectly round that you can see an entire room within them."

"What?"

"What?..Oh.. I mean, yes I'm sure that it is very pretty." Sarah blushed deeply and bit her bottom lip, hoping Karen wouldn't notice. Karen apparently took the hint, and the kitchen was cleaned up in silence after that. 

Much to Sarah's delight, Toby rushed into the kitchen and dragged her off to the park, yelling something about wanting to play with his friends. Happy to get away, Sarah did not turn around to say goodbye to Karen, whom she knew was staring at her back all the way down the street. 


	3. Please Forgive Me

Okay

Okay, so the rewrite didn't take as long as I thought it would. Things should move pretty swiftly now that I finally have this chapter the way I want it. Next three chapters are written and just have to be posted. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: See Chapters 1 and 2. Today's title is courtesy of Bryan Adams. Can you tell I gather a lot of inspiration from music? All dialogue from the movie belongs to J.H.P. damn them for being so creative!

Chapter 3

Please Forgive Me

It had been a quiet week since Sarah's arrival at her parent's house. She and Toby went to the park nearly every day to play hide and seek among the trees, play touch football with his friends, or just talk. She nearly laughed at his first mention of a certain girl at school that he thought was pretty, but instead offered an understanding ear to his plight.

She had not called Jareth the entire week. Her dream had made her cautious and hesitant about calling him, especially since she wasn't sure if he had knowledge of the dream as well. However, this did not stop her from thinking of him when she was alone. After closing her door for the night, she sat upon her bed, rolling her sky crystal in her hands, looking into its depths without really seeing it. She knew that she had a decision to make, but wanted to put off making it.

On the Saturday morning a week after her arrival, Sarah woke to a chilly house and rain beating against her window. Looking forward to a day of peaceful reading and playing games with Toby, she quickly dressed and went downstairs, only to find a note from Karen explaining the rest of the family's absence. Her father had been called to the office by some emergency, and Karen was off taking Toby to a birthday party, so Sarah was left alone in the house to entertain herself. She loved listening to the rain on the roof and spatter against the windows, so she spent the morning in her room, listening to the sounds of the rain.

At noon, she left her refuge in search of some lunch. She heated some soup and poured it into a mug. She went to the living room and built a cozy fire to warm the chilly house and grabbed the throw blanket from her father's armchair. The sky grew blacker and the rain pounded harder as she settled on the couch in front of the fire and sipped her soup. She pulled the blanket up to her chin and let herself totally relax. Letting her mind wander as she stared at the orange flames dance in the fireplace, her thoughts settled on abstract moments from her past, things that had no logical connection at first.

She scrambled up the stairs, cold, wet, and miserable. She practically shoved her father aside to get up the second flight to her room.

"Ahh, Sarah! You're home. We were worried about you."

"I can't do anything right, can I?"

"If that's all the help you're gonna be, the you can just leave."

"How do you know what my plans are? You don't care, you don't even ask me anymore!"

"Generous. What have you done that's generous?"

Each memory made Sarah wince a bit more than the last. Newer memories from work appeared for her to blush and be ashamed at. She had always used her quick wit and sharp tongue to cut others down, only to regret it later on. She supposed that this was why she had no really good friends except for Jareth, and he wasn't exactly the type that you bring for a round of drinks with coworkers. Not that they would think to invite her anyway. After the way she treated most people, she was surprised that even her family would talk to her. For the first time, Sarah was genuinely ashamed of her behavior, and wished that she could go back and change all of the hurtful things she had said.

Visions of the hurt looks her ex boyfriends had given her when she broke up with them brought tears to her eyes. She told herself that she had grown tired of them, and wasted no time in using the "its not you, its me" excuse to end their relationships. Deep down, Sarah didn't want to hurt them, but she was terrified of being hurt by another human being. She preferred to be the one that did the hurting, or she built emotional barriers around herself so no one could see where she was most vulnerable. The memory of her beloved mother walking out on her and her father was almost more than she could stand. She felt as if her heart was going to be torn apart as her tears flowed freely and sobs racked her body.

Sarah drew her knees to her chest and tried to calm her sobbing. Desperately, she called out to the first name that came to mind.

"Jareth. I need you."

* * * * * * * *

The rain was pounding down upon the Underground as well. The usually busy Labyrinth was eerily quiet, save for the sound of falling rain. Even the worms had decided to save their bathing for when the rain didn't fall so hard.

Inside the castle, a merry fire was crackling in the throne room. Jareth had grown tired of the goblins always hanging about when he was trying to think, so he had given them jobs inside the castle and had the pit replaced with a fireplace. Even if they didn't have a brain cell to split between them, they still did a damn good job of keeping the castle clean.

Jareth hated rain. It depressed him. It was hard enough that that love of his life, his soul mate, the one he was destined to be with did not return his love, and the rain made it harder. At least when the sun shone, he could forget some of his troubles and appreciate the beauty of the Underground, if only for a little while. He sat thinking of this very thing when he heard a shout coming from the kitchens. Something about peaches. Peaches. The fruit always made him think of her. Realizing that it had been over a week since he had last spoken with her, Jareth conjured up a crystal and concentrated on Sarah's image within. He expression was hard to read, as she seemed preoccupied with her thoughts. He searched for a way to trigger her brain into thinking of him in order that she might call him so that they could talk. 

When his efforts to creep into her subconscious failed, he settle back in his throne for a few hours of Sarah watching when he saw her expression change to one of deep sadness, and tears begin to form in her eyes. It was several minutes before the tears splashed unstopped down her cheeks and the gasping sobs escaped her lips. Something was making his love cry and Jareth didn't like it.

He didn't like it at all.

"Call to me, my love, and I will be there. I will stop whatever or whomever is making you cry. May the Gods help them when I get a hold of them." Jareth had risen from the throne and was now pacing the length of the room with sweeping strides. Minutes seemed like hours as he waited for something that he was not quite sure that would be said. He had almost given up hope when he heard it, sounding more beautiful than anything else in the whole world.

"Jareth, I need you."

* * * * * * * *

Sarah buried her face in the blanket and continued to sob. Almost immediately, she felt a pair of arms wrap around her, and she instinctively leaned into whomever was hugging her. It wasn't until after she had rested her head against her hugger's chest that she opened her eyes and was greeted by Jareth looking down at her with concern on his face. At that moment, her mind began to tell her to break away, but her body was not responding. There wasn't anyplace that she would rather be.

Jareth held her without speaking until her sobbing ended. He took advantage of those few minutes to capture every memory of her that he could: the way she felt in his arms, the feel of her hair when he brushed his cheek against it, the smell of flowers that had seeped into her skin. He closed his eyes and tried to picture what it would be like to do this everyday. 

After Sarah quieted, she spoke.

"Jareth, what am I going to do? I have made so many people unhappy and have hurt the people that I love the most. Not once have I apologized for my behavior to anyone, and I know that isn't right. I've treated others with so little respect, and I have asked for so much. What should I do?"

"You're asking me? The one who made up the rules that you thought were so unfair?"

Sarah smiled weakly at these words. She knew that she had treated him unfairly, too. He had, after all, only granted her wish. She pulled away from him and looked him squarely in the face.

"You know that I don't see you that way anymore."

I'm lucky if you see me at all. Jareth thought.

"You're the only one that I can really talk to. All of my other friends seem so wrapped up in their own lives to even care. I suppose I deserve that after the kind of treatment I have given them." She hung her head and her voice began to quiver again, "I don't deserve to be happy. Not after everything I have done."

"No, dearest, that is where you are wrong. Everyone deserves happiness in their lives. No one can live on work alone. The soul needs feeding just as the body does, and yours is no different. Our spirits need constant care and dedicating your life to work is not enough."

"What about you? Don't you ever think of following your own advice?" Sarah spoke without thinking and mentally slapped herself for being so crass. She knew the answer to this question as sure as she knew her own name.

Jareth looked pained, "Sometimes we do have to wait for what we want, Sarah. Even I as a king cannot change that."

"But that doesn't mean that someone doesn't have options in getting what they want. There are lots of paths to take, each one as good as the one next to it." Sarah hoped that she had sufficiently dodged the issue again.

"No, Sarah. I don't have options, nor do I have paths." He moved as if to go back Underground, but Sarah stood and took his hand.

"Please don't leave me. I don't want to be alone right now."

Jareth turned and looked at Sarah and was amazed at how young and scared she looked. He nodded, and they both sat together. Sarah laid across his chest and he wrapped his arms around her, as if to shield her from harm. She felt him sigh as she closed her eyes, heavy from all of the crying she had done. She felt warm and secure in his arms. Deep down, another emotion was growing inside of her, and it took her several minutes to put a name to it. Before she drifted off to sleep, Sarah looked up at Jareth.

"I'm sorry."

Jareth bent down and kissed her lightly on her cheek. Her eyes closed again and she felt contentment for the first time since she could remember. 


	4. Tell Him Anything (But Not That I Love H...

Hello all

Hello all! You guys are all so good to me! Thank you for all of the encouragement and reviews. They are greatly appreciated. Now, go read!

Disclaimer: Yada yada yada. Same old thing about characters and dialogue. There is some dialogue in this chapter that is from "Anne of Avonlea", which is the property of the great L. M. Montgomery. The title today belongs to Richard and Robert Sherman, who wrote the song "Tell Him Anything" for their take on the Cinderella story called The Slipper and the Rose. By the way, Delon is mine! All mine!! He he he....

Chapter 4

Tell Him Anything (But Not That I Love Him)

"Sarah, Sarah! Wake up!" Toby was shaking Sarah's shoulder, trying to rouse her from her nap on the couch. 

"Hm? Jareth?" she asked, yawning.

"Uhhh...no. It's me, silly. Who's Jareth?" Sarah opened her eyes to see Toby grinning at her.

"Ahh, just someone from work. What's up, kiddo?" She sat up and stretched. Toby scrambled to sit on the section of couch that Sarah had just risen from.

"Mom and Dad want to know where you want to go to eat tonight. They said that dinner has to be special since it is you last one here. Do you have to go back tomorrow, Sarah? You only just got here. It won't be any fun after you leave."

"I'm sorry, Toby. Even though I got to be a kid again this past week, I still am an adult with a lot of responsibility at my job. I will come again as soon as I can."

" I know. But you are so cool."

Sarah chuckled, "Thanks. I'll try and remember that. Tell you what, why don't you pick where we go to eat tonight?"

"Oh really? I know just the place!" Toby hopped off the couch and ran towards the kitchen, "Mom! Sarah said I could pick where we eat! She was talking about Jareth again!"

"Oh boy." Sarah groaned at Toby's last sentence. She stood up from the couch and headed up the stairs and into her room. She picked out an outfit to change into and turned towards the bed to get dressed. A small white envelope with her name on it was propped up on her pillow. Sarah picked up the envelope and tore it open. The note inside was written in Jareth's familiar scrawl.

Sarah Love,

I'm sorry I couldn't stay until you woke. I hope that your last night at home is pleasant and that you have a good time at dinner with your family. I will be thinking of you.

J

Sarah sighed as she folded the note up and stuck it in her purse. She silently changed clothes and headed down the stairs.

* * * * * * * *

Sarah went to her room to pack after returning from dinner. Toby had talked nonstop the entire meal, and had brought up Jareth three times, right in front of their parents. A few raised eyebrows from her father were ignored, as well as Karen's elbow jabs. She was always sad to leave her family, but her week had come to an end, and her boss was already flooding her inbox with wordy emails. As much as she hated the thought of returning, her mind began to formulate a checklist of things that she needed to do when she got back to her apartment. As she opened her bedroom door, she was trying to remember if she had left a carton of milk in her refrigerator, so she was not prepared for the visitor that was sitting on her windowsill.

"Jareth!"

"I thought that you might need help packing. I know that you haven't started yet, and that you leave tomorrow. And probably early too, since that seems to be the human way to do things."

"That is very kind of you to offer, but it is a depressing task enough without someone helping. Shouldn't you be off granting wished or kicking a goblin?"

"Actually, the Aboveground has been relatively quiet as of late. I think that you humans are beginning to get along better. Nobody wishing anyone else away, nobody calling on me for help. Even the goblins seem to have started growing a few brain cells apiece and have kept out from under foot. It's quite remarkable how quiet my life had been." Jareth's tone was friendly, but wanting, as if he was feeling much more than he would allow himself to say. Sarah immediately picked up on this.

"Why are you really here, Jareth? I know that if I wanted you to, you could have my suitcase packed with a snap of your fingers. What is it that you want?" Sarah was almost afraid to add that last bit, because she knew what was coming.

Jareth stood up from the window and stepped in front of Sarah. He raised his hands to frame her face and replied softly, "You know why I am here. Are you going to keep me waiting forever? If that is what it takes, then I am prepared. We belong together. We are soul mates. You must feel something for me, or else I wouldn't hear you call me."

"Jareth, we have discussed this so many times. For five years you have asked me to leave everything behind and be with you and my answer has remained the same each time. Why are you so determined to have me, when you could have half a dozen other females who would jump at the chance. Or is it just because you enjoy a challenge?

"Sarah, that is not fair. I was only doing what you asked me to do. I had to make it challenging for you. My intent was not to harm you, but to show you how much strength you have. As for the supposed half a dozen other females that I could have, none of them would place a well-heeled foot in my kingdom. Not that they would suffice. I could not be happy with one who pales in comparison to you. Why would I settle for them when I could have one who is my equal in strength and in will?"

"But we would end up fighting all of the time, making each other miserable. I'm too independent to ever find someone to share my life with."

"Please say yes."

"I can't."

With that, Jareth disappeared in a cloud of glitter.

"Damn! Why can't I make him see? Why do I have to be such a fool about it?" Sarah stormed to the closet, yanked out her suitcase, and threw it on the bed.

"A fool about what, Dear?" Karen cracked open Sarah's door.

"Oh, nothing." Sarah stammered, "I was just reciting some dialogue from a movie." She hoped the lie would be good enough.

"Oh. Well, I just came up to see if you needed any help. Mind if I come in?"

"No, not at all." Sarah shuffled the suitcase around to make room. Karen sat down on the cleared spot.

"I hope that the past week has done you some good. It's always a pleasure to see you, and I know that Toby loves every minute that you are here. He loves you so much, as your father and I do. We hate to see you leave. But, you no doubt have things that need your attention back at your job. And of course, there's always Jareth to think about."

"What do you mean?"

"What do you mean, what do I mean? You two are obviously engaged, why else would you get so flustered every time he comes up in a conversation? Honestly, Sarah, I should be furious at you for keeping us in the dark about the whole thing, but actually, I couldn't be happier. When were you planning on telling us?"

Karen's banter had turned Sarah's cheeks red. So, everyone thought that she and Jareth were on the brink of marriage.

"Karen, I don't quite know what you're getting at. You honestly think that we are engaged?"

"Of course, silly! Nobody talks that much about a man if she isn't attached to him in some serious way."

"But we talked about him once right after I got here. That's hardly a lot." Sarah looked astonished.

"Sarah, for as long as I have known you, you have talked in your sleep. Every night since you came back you have mentioned his name at least once while you were asleep. You two must be so in love." Karen was positively beaming at the awe-struck Sarah, who stood as if she were rooted to the spot.

"Karen, we are not engaged."

"Well, you certainly could have fooled me. He must be on the brink of asking you, then. I'll bet he has some big romantic even planned for when you get back."

"Karen!"

"Okay, Okay! I'm sorry I brought it up." Karen looked around the bedroom and her eyes fell upon the sky crystal, "Where did you get this? It's exquisite!"

"Jar...I mean a friend gave it to me."

Sarah started to pack, unhanging and folding clothes, putting them into her suitcase, and taking others out of drawers. The silence that had fallen between her and Karen was awkward, so Sarah did her best to ignore it. After five minutes of watching Sarah pack, Karen suddenly got up and walked over to the open door. Before going through it, she turned and looked straight at Sarah.

"I hate to say this to you, but you are a fool if you think that you don't love Jareth as much as he loves you. He is obviously head-over-heels in love with you. By reading between the lines that you have been feeding me, it sounds as if you have given him the brush off more than once. Don't push love away, Sarah. It doesn't come that often." Karen turned and shut the door behind her.

Sarah sat dejectedly on her bed. She looked at the crystal and saw its stars blinking within and the sky remaining its inky color. She picked it up and rolled it between her hands.

"I've brought you a gift."

"What is it?"

"It's a crystal. Nothing more. But if you turn it this way and look into it, it will show you your dreams. But this is not a gift for an ordinary girl who takes care of a screaming baby."

Sarah had begun to cry without realizing it. She set the crystal back in its stand and crossed the room to her vanity table. She sat and stared at her reflection in the mirror. Sarah remembered back to her mother and one of the few things she had taught Sarah.

"A good way to tell how you really feel about someone is to let your heart tell you. Close yours eyes and forget all that you see. What is it that you feel?"

Sarah closed her eyes and kept her mind blank. She let her senses become aware of everything around her, except for her eyesight. Once she was relaxed, Sarah focused on one word.

"Jareth"

As she spoke out loud, her body began to tingle all over. Her heart felt as if it would leap out of her chest. She wanted to get up and run ten miles, she wanted to write, to paint, to do anything to express what she was feeling. When she did open her eyes again, they were brimming with tears. She put her head in her hands, and through her choked sobs she her herself say it.

" I love him."

* * * * * * * *

Jareth appeared in his throne room after leaving Sarah's bedroom. The hurt and anger that were welling up inside of him were more than he could bear, so he began to pace the length of the room, muttering to himself.

"Can't she see that I love her...all I offer and more if she wanted...still stubborn...not willing to even acknowledge...what more can I possible do..

"Hello, Jareth." A voice from behind him said.

Jareth turned to face the one who dare interrupt his thoughts, and was met with a sight that he had hoped that he would never see. A tall, well built man was standing in the doorway, arms crossed over his chest. He was dressed in head to toe black, the only color on him coming from his yellow eyes. His skin was dark, as if he had been out in the sun too long. His long, thin black hair was pulled back at the nape of his neck, looking like it had never been washed. Contempt boiled up inside the pit of Jareth's stomach as he forced himself to smirk at his guest and acknowledge his presence.

"Hello Delon. I didn't expect to see you."

"Come now, cousin. Is that the best you can do? We used to be the best of friends, you and I." Delon exclaimed with mock surprise. 

"Yes, well I am very busy. So if you will just excuse me..."

"No, I'm afraid it won't be that easy. I've come to take your kingdom away from you, as it has been rightfully mine for sometime."

"What?" Jareth stared at his cousin in disbelief.

"Don't open your mouth too wide, Cousin dear. It is so unbecoming. Now, where was I? Oh yes! Your kingdom. I think we should get a little more comfortable, don't you?" With a snap of Delon's fingers, Jareth's throne room started to spin. Jareth was pushed backward and was forced to sit in a chair that appeared behind him. One the room stopped spinning, he could see that his arms and legs had been bound to the chair.

"Comfy?" Delon's face popped before his, "Good. Now, let's talk."


	5. Blame Your Failure on Your Foolish Heart

The plot thickens

The plot thickens! Sure, it is a little late in the story, but I promise that I will wrap it up soon. No song for this one, I can't find anything dark enough. Mwahaha....

Disclaimer: Blah Blah Blah..Jim Hensen....Laby characters. I do, however, own Delon. 

Chapter 5 

Blame Your Failure on Your Foolish Heart

Jareth looked around the darkened room. A bright light was shining from above, making it hard to see past the circle of light that surrounded him on the floor. He strained his eyes to try and make out Delon's figure, but was only met with dark shadows from all around him. He tried calling upon his magic to sense Delon's presence, but he could not even manage to conjure a spark.

"It really is a pity watching you try and conjure your magic. It is actually funny that you think you still have it. Go on, mighty Goblin King, and free yourself from your restraints." Delon's voice was cold and slithery. Jareth knew that it was futile to try and free himself, so he merely sat and stared at the ground in front of him.

"No? Not even the slightest movement? Such a pity. Well, dear Cousin, now that I have you undivided attention, let's clear up a few things."

"Yes, let's. I would like to know why you have surfaced after all this time. Why are you suddenly laying claims on my kingdom?" Jareth lifted his head to look straight at his cousin, who quickly averted Jareth's stare. "Why can't you look me in the eye and tell me the reason, Delon? Coward?" A smirk played upon Jareth's lips as his cousin bent down and met his gaze.

I hardly think that you are in the position to call anyone a coward. You, the mighty Jareth, who can't even convince his intended that she belongs with him. All this time, and you still don't have your queen. Your father certainly saw this coming." Delon chuckled evilly to himself, echoing throughout the room.

"What are you talking about?"

"Do you remember us as children, Jareth? We used to share everything. Our fathers are brother, after all, and they did spend a lot of time trying to rule the Underground together. Everything split equally. Too bad my father happened to be the weaker of the two. When he died, your father took care of me and my mother. Oh yes, quite comfortably, I might add. But he must have sensed that I would want more than just to live a life of devotion to his son, my dear cousin, to whom he had just given a kingdom of his very own. I wanted a kingdom, and he had just broken off one of his own for his son. So, wouldn't it be easy for him to do the same for me? Oh no! He couldn't make me equals with my cousin life ha had been with his brother. However, he made me a promise. He told me that you were to rule your goblin kingdom for all time, provided that you find true love within a certain amount of time. If not, then all that was yours would then be transferred to me. So, it looks like we are continuing to share, but don't expect me to let you help me rule. You see, in your quest for the lovely Sarah, you forgot all about this little amendment to the agreement between you and your father. And don't say that you had no idea because I have vivid recollections of that day. I know that you knew. I knew that you would be too spineless and weak to live up to your end of the bargain, so I bided my time. But no longer, cousin. Your time is up. More than up. You were given ten more years to woo your lady love. Gives a whole new meaning to her defeat of your labyrinth, doesn't it?" Delon laughed at Jareth's struggle against the ropes. "Don't bother. Now even your physical strength are enough for you to break free. No, my dear Jareth, you will live out your days in a place where people will forget about you. Too bad you don't have your magic to keep you company."

Delon snapped his fingers and Jareth was transported into another room. It had the same light shining from above, but it was weaker than before. His arms and legs were now free, and Jareth rubbed his wrists as his eyes adjusted to what little light was available. He groaned once he realized where he was. He was in an oubliette, one of his own making. 

* * * * * * * *

Sarah wiped the tears away from her face, ready to admit her love to Jareth. She wanted him here with her, so that she could say all the things that she felt, to feel his hands smoothing her hair, to feel her heart skip a beat when she looked into his eyes. Smiling, she looked at her reflection in the mirror and called out to him.

"Jareth, we need to talk."

Silence.

"Jareth, could I please talk to you?"

Nothing

"Please?"

Her smile faded. He had never denied her before, even when they had argued. "He must be so angry with me," Sarah thought. She was anxious to talk to him. She rose from her chair and paced around her room like a caged animal. She didn't want to wait, but Jareth was obviously teaching her a lesson. She was almost positive that he could see everything that was going on, so she smiled as she said, "Okay, if that is they way you want it. I guess that it can wait until morning."

She quickly changed into her pajamas and got into bed, in a hurry to fall asleep so that morning would come.


	6. Don't Walk Away

Disclaimer

Disclaimer: See all previous chapters. This title comes from the movie "Xanadu". The song "Don't Walk Away" was written by Jeff Lynn of the Electric Light Orchestra. Email me if you want lyrics. They say exactly what I want this chapter to say.

Chapter 6

Don't Walk Away

Jareth walked through a field of wild flowers. The warm sunshine warmed his body and a gentle breeze wove its way through his hair. A smile crept about his mouth as he let his hand gently brush the tops of the tall grasses. For the first time in a while, he felt completely happy, and he lifted his head to smile at the cloudless sky. 

"Wouldn't Sarah love this?" He thought to himself. His mind was filled with images of her throughout the years he had known her.

A rustling noise behind him broke him out of his thoughts. He drew his head down and turned quickly, ready to lash out at whomever dared interrupt this perfect moment. He was met with the sight of Sarah coming towards him. Immediately, his mouth went dry and his heart began to pound. She was breathtakingly beautiful in a simple sky blue dress with her hair pulled away from her face. She was looking right at him, at his eyes, into his very soul. Her eyes danced merrily in the sunlight and she smiled as she drew nearer to him. When she reached him, she took both of his hands into her own, gazed up at his face and said, "Hello, Jareth."

"My dear Sarah..."

She put a finger to his lips, "Shhhh...Don't say a word. Let's just enjoy the moment, shall we?" She ran her arms around his chest to hold him, as he did the same to her. They stood holding each other, Sarah's head resting on Jareth's shoulder. After several minutes, she looked up at Jareth and spoke.

"Why are you so faithful to me? All I have ever done is brush you aside. Yet you still continue to fight for my affections."

"I suppose it is because you are meant to be with me. One cannot run from destiny forever. Our meeting was inevitable. Now, all I can do is wait for the day that you will see this."

"Don't you ever grow tired of waiting?"

"Day after day I wait for you to call me, hoping that it will finally be the time when you return with me. Our times together have become the highlights of my life. There are so many things that I want to say to you, but I never seem to find a way, or the courage. Yes me, the goblin king, without courage. But, I guess that over the years I have come to expect a refusal from you and that is why I am so hesitant. It's hard knowing the one you love doesn't love you back."

"It's not easy for me either, you know. I befriended the same person who kidnapped my brother and who put me through 13 hours of hell to get him back."

"You asked me to do that."

"I know, but it still feels strange if you think about it."

"Then don't."

"It's not that I don't love you. I do, but I am afraid that you will begin to brush me aside like so many others in my life. I was distancing myself so that I wouldn't be hurt."

"I would never hurt you, Sarah."

"But I can't be sure of that."

"My love for you is that which moves the stars. Listen to me, Sarah. I would never hurt you and I will never let anyone hurt you. How can I make you see that?"

"I don't know...give me some time...I'm so confused. Sarah pulled away from Jareth's embrace. She began to fade from the field, and her voice wavered as she spoke.

"I do love you. I always will."

Jareth was left alone again. Despite the beauty of his surroundings, he was not looking at anything. He looked without seeing. Instead, his mind was filled with endless days spent without her. His life was to be one of unhappy solitude, and he had no idea how he would make it. Sadness began to well up inside him as he slowly accepted his fate.

* * * * * * * *

Sarah awoke to a cloudless blue sky beaming down at her through the window. "Much like in my dream," she thought as she lingered between the coolness of her sheets. It was amazing how real it all seemed to her. She could actually smell the flowers around her and feel the sunshine on her shoulders. But her behavior in the dream confused her, as she was so ready to tell him that she loved him the previous night. "I should think that I would have been more open about it. Ah well. I guess that is why it is a dream and not a reality."

She lingered a few minutes more in bed, talking herself into calling to him. An apology for last night was forming in her mind as she sprang from her bed and went to her mirror. She gazed at her reflection, mouth open, ready to call out his name. Then, she stopped, deciding it would probably be a good idea to freshen up before she called him. Smiling, she turned and headed for the bathroom.

* * * * * * * *

Jareth opened his eyes to darkness. The small amount of light that did shine into the oubliette had to come through layers of dust and spider webs to reach the small patch of ground. He was in a sitting position, his back touching the cool stone wall that now seemed to hit him in all the wrong places. He groaned as he began to move his shoulders, raising his hand to rub the stiffness away. His dream had been so pleasant, he had almost forgotten about his situation. To hold Sarah in his arms had felt so real, he could almost feel her still within them. He knew why she had pushed him away now and he wished that this dream had come to him before his cousin had. Even the knowledge of her love for him was not enough to give him hope. In the chance that she did call him, he wouldn't be able to see her. He felt weak without his magic, almost like he had been shut off from the rest of the living world. His arms fell to his sides as he closed his eyes to dwell on the memory of their dream meeting, and to remember how her hair smelled and the way she fit in his arms. "Dearest Sarah. If only I had known. I would have let you see how much I love you. Now, it is too late for us, my love. It is not meant to be."


	7. When You Come Back To Me Again

The story thus far has taken me three months to write

The story thus far has taken me three months to write, and this chapter took only three hours! It is basically writing itself at this point. Lots of stuff going on in this chapter because I want to wrap things up. I can't wait for the end!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except Delon, and I'm beginning to wonder why I even claim him. Title today belongs to Garth Brooks, from the movie "Frequency".

Chapter 7

When You Come Back To Me Again

Sarah sat back down at her vanity table and smiled at her reflection. Freshly showered, teeth brushed, hair combed and straightened, she knew that she looked more presentable than she had a few minutes before when she had just risen from her bed. She smoothed the wrinkles out of her skirt and blouse that she had put on, wanting to look nice for Jareth. This was, after all, the beginning of the rest of her life...

She continued to gaze at her reflection, making sure everything was perfect. She looked about her room's reflection, and her eyes fell upon her sky crystal, winking at her from its stand. She stood and walked over to the table where it stood and picked it up.

"It won't be long until we will get to spend the rest of eternity together, Jareth my love." She thought, returning to her seat with the crystal. She drew a deep breath and said, "Okay, Jareth. I let you have your fun for one night. Now will you please talk to me? I have something that I really want to say."

In response, Sarah heard the clock tick in the hallway outside of her room.

"Come on, Jareth. You've had your fun. I think you will like what I'm going to say."

The silence she was getting in return was starting to worry Sarah. She wrinkled her forehead and thought about what could possible be keeping Jareth from answering her. Desperately, she called to the one who would know.

"Hoggle, I need you."

"What fer? Seems like you never got time for your friends anymore." Hoggle's face appeared in the mirror just above her left shoulder. She turned and saw the dwarf standing behind her chair.

"I'm sorry, Hoggle. I've been busy. Where is Jareth?"

"Ya mean he ain't here? When I heard that he didn't return to the castle last night, I assumed he was with you." Hoggle looked a bit shocked.

"Wait a minute. Let me get this straight. No one has heard nor seen Jareth since last night?" The panic in Sarah's voice was growing.

"I ain't seen him since yesterday afternoon. Things is not right, Sarah. Jareth never stays away this long without getting word to the kingdom. It ain't right, I tell ya."

"I think I have to agree with you on that. Is there anyway I can get there?" Sarah paced her room, anxious to be doing something.

"I can't get you there, if that's what ya mean. Only Jareth is strong enough to do that. He's got more magic in one of them crystals than I..."

"Crystals!" Sarah interrupted, suddenly remembering Jareth's present which she still held in her hand. She looked at it and its stars twinkled merrily on, oblivious to the turmoil of its surroundings.

"Will this get me there?" Sarah asked, looking at Hoggle. She showed him the crystal, and he stood mesmerized at its glittering stars.

"Yeah, it should. But be careful. Ya never know what Jareth had packed into those neat little packages. One wrong move, and it could be the cleaners for you."

Sarah held the crystal in both hands and closed her eyes. "I wish I was in the Labyrinth."

When she opened her eyes again, she was standing on the hill outside of the Labyrinth. The surroundings looked the same except for the dark gray clouds hanging over the landscape. They looked like they could open up to a downpour at any minute. The strange thing was that they seemed to be centered above the castle.

"What the..."Hoggle said as he appeared behind Sarah, "Whatever is going on here, I ain't got nothin' to do with it. The Labyrinth was its perfectly normal self when ya called. Somethin' ain't right, I tell ya."

"Yeah, I get that feeling too. Maybe we should ask someone about all this. Come on, maybe we can find someone in the there that will tell us what is going on." She jogged down the hill towards the entrance, thankful she had decided on flat loafers instead of heels.

The entrance doors creaked open as Sarah and Hoggle approached. The pair stepped through the doorway and into the endless maze, unfazed by its appearance.

"I don't likes the looks of this, Sarah." Hoggle sounded worried.

"There is nothing to worry about, except for maybe Jareth's disappearance. We will just find someone to talk to and go back out again." She tried to mask the worry in her own voice.

As they stood trying to decide which way to go, a small voice on the wall beside them said, "E'llo."

Sarah turned sharply towards the voice. There was the same worm that had helped her before, sitting on a brick at eye level.

"Mr. Worm! How good it is to see you again! I hope you can help us."

"There's a door five feet to your left or ten feet to your right. You got to be solvin' the Labyrinth again, do you? My name's Henry, by the way."

"Thank you, but I was hoping you would know something."

"What's that, my dear?"

"Do you happen to know where the king is?"

"O'course I do! He's in the castle, same as always. Well, today at least." Henry hesitated a bit.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, King Delon only got here last night. Late last night. Said he was the new Goblin King. Since Jareth ain't been seen since yesterday, and no one dares disagree with a man who calls himself king, I guess we all accepted it as truth. Not that it affects me much. I'm just a worm."

Sarah and Hoggle looked at each other in shock as Henry spoke. "No one considered that something could be terribly wrong? You all just accepted this new king without asking any questions?" Sarah asked Henry, astounded.

"We don't say 'em out loud if we did have questions. Nobody would dare upset the king. No one brave enough. We just accept things as they happen and leave the rest to fate."

"So, does anyone have an idea as to where Jareth might be?"

"Lots of rumors flying around, Miss. Some says that he just got sick of the Labyrinth and left. Others say that he is trapped somewhere. But that's silly. Everyone knows hat he could just use his powers to get himself out again."

Not if he didn't have them anymore. thought Sarah. "Thank you, Henry. You have been a great help to us."

"Anytime, Miss. Anytime."

Sarah steered Hoggle away from Henry. The two of them walked side by side for a few steps before she spoke.

"Hoggle, now I an definitely worried. Jareth wouldn't just leave, because that would mean that he still has his powers. He would be able to answer me when I called last night and this morning, and I know he would have answered."

"So, what are ya thinking?"

"I'm thinking that this 'King Delon' has more to do with Jareth's disappearance than he lets on."

"D'ya think we should try and get to the castle?"

"No, I want to see what others have to say. Let's keep going."

"Wait a minute, Sarah. Look." He pointed to the crystal that she held in her hand. The midnight blue sky was now changing as if a miniature sun was about to rise. Sarah was mesmerized by the colors swirling together, and for a split second saw Jareth's face looking worn and tired. Almost as soon as he appeared, he was gone, leaving one the stars to blink at Sarah.

I'll lay my love between the stars.

"The crystal! The crystal will lead us to Jareth! Come on, Hoggle. We have no time to loose."

* * * * * * * *

"Yes, my lovely. Run and find your Jareth. If you can." Delon laughed evilly as he watched Sarah and Hoggle race through the Labyrinth through a crystal. Suddenly, their images blurred and finally faded completely. "Damn. Why is it that these things never want to cooperate with me?"

He flung the crystal aside, delighted to hear it smash against the throne room wall. "Perhaps the lovely Sarah would consent to being my queen once she sees the pitiful scrap that Jareth has become. Yes, true power can do that to a person. She would make a lovely decoration to my castle." Delon stretched and yawned, surprised at how easy it had been to take up residence in the castle. He had come expecting some sort of fight, but was only met with brief stares from the goblins before they returned to their tasks. If it weren't for the fact that they didn't have much brain power, Delon would have thought this gesture as a sign of disrespect. But, he sought his revenge by magically moving buckets and brooms around so that the goblins had to go searching for them, scattering a thick layer of dust on rooms that had just been cleaned, and sending his breakfast back to the kitchen three times, each time demanding something new.

"Jareth was a stupid fool for not doing everything he could to keep this life." Delon thought to himself as he reclined in the throne and placing his hands behind his head. His eyes began to droop, and he was soon in a deep sleep, thanks to the peaches that the goblins had made sure accompanied his breakfast.

* * * * * * * *

The hours stretched on as Sarah and Hoggle wove their way through the different mazes. Seeing not a soul, they were led by the crystal, which was steadily changing to a gold color from its original blue. By the time they had reached the hedge maze, the crystal was almost completely gold, showing blue streaks here and there.

"Sarah, do you love him?" Hoggle asked hesitantly.

"Yes Hoggle, I do. I know that now. I was such an idiot before that I am surprised that he sill loves me. I hope that I am not too late. What do you suppose happened?" Sarah's voice was tinged with sadness.

"Don't know. Can't guess even. Jareth's been king so long that it don't seem right him givin' up like that."

"Maybe he didn't."

"I dunno. He ain't been himself lately."

Sarah hung her head and blushed. She knew why Jareth had been out of sorts. It was her fault. Before she could say anything, she saw that they had reached the urn that they had crawled out of after their escape from the cleaners, as well as the wise man's stone chair. In the ground was the set of stairs that wound their way into darkness. Sarah looked down at the crystal, and her mouth opened in surprise. It was completely gold. Her head shot up as if she was expecting to see him standing in front of her, but instead only saw the staircase.

"He's there, Hoggle."

"But that can't be. That don't go nowhere."

"You mean the stairs just lead to a wall?"

"No, I mean there ain't nothin there. Just black nothingness. Last I heard, Jareth hadn't finished it. Rumor has it that it would lead to a whole nother section of the Labyrinth. Don't think he ever got around to it."

"I know he's there." Sarah walk to the top of the stairs and looked down. She felt miserable as doubt was beginning to creep into her brain. "This is your one chance for true love, girl. Don't screw it up. You know that he would do the same for you." She thought to herself. She felt Hoggle's hand on her arm, and she looked over at him. He was staring at the crystal. It was now blinking as if a light was being turned on and off within it.

"You gotta go, Sarah."

Sarah hugged her friend and started down the steps. With each step down, the crystal began to blink more rapidly. She reached the bottom step and stared into the blackness below. The weak light shining from above her was not enough to illuminate the bottom, if there was one. Loosing her nerve, Sarah nearly turned back before glancing at the crystal. It was blinking so rapidly that she could hardly tell it was blinking at all. She took a deep breath an stepped off of the last stair. She knew she was falling quickly, but could not tell how far she had gone. The dim light still shone constantly from about her, never growing smaller, even though she knew she had fallen quite a long distance. Just as she was beginning to think that she could fall forever, she hit bottom, laying flat on her back. The crystal rolled out of her hand into the blackness. Sarah watched it roll across the floor and be enveloped by the dark. As she got to her feet, she sensed that she was not alone.

"What have we here?" A dry voice said from the direction that the crystal had disappeared into. Sarah followed the voice with her eyes and watched astonished as the now-glowing gold crystal reappeared immediately before her eyes.

It was no longer blinking.

"Hello, Sarah Love." 


	8. Your Love is the Music of My Heart

Sarah

After a great deal of time thinking, writing, reading the threats in the reviews, I bring you the next two chapters. It was originally one, but it seemed better to divide them up. 

Disclaimer: Chapter title belongs to Gloria Estefan and NSync. Everything Labyrinth belongs to JIM Hensen Productions. Delon, well, Delon belongs to me.

Chapter 8

Your Love is the Music of My Heart

Sarah's heart leapt as she heard him say her name. His face came into focus in the glow of the crystal that he held before him, looking tired but very happy. His eyes glittered in the golden light, revealing his delight in finally seeing her. Whatever doubts she had about loving him were extinguished with that look.

"Jareth" she whispered, barely audible.

He took a step forward to close the space between them and pulled her to his chest. He wrapped his arms around her, burying his face in her hair and thanking the Gods that she was there. They stood holding each other for several minutes before Jareth spoke.

"My darling Sarah, I never thought I would even see you again. I felt sure that you would never want to see me after last night. How did you know?"

"I called you after you left. You wouldn't answer, but I thought that you were just teaching me a lesson. It wasn't until this morning that I started to worry." Sarah brought her head up off Jareth's shoulder to look at his face.

"What happened this morning?"

"I called you again, but I still got no reply. I thought that you must have either been very mad at me or something was terribly wrong."

Jareth cupped her cheek in his hand, "Didn't I tell you that I would always come when you called? You ought to know that regardless of whether or not we have had an argument, I would never ignore you. Although, I have to say that you were pretty intuitive about something being terribly wrong. Now, what could I possible teach you a lesson about?"

"Giving me a dose of my own medicine would be more like it. I thought that you were ignoring me or brushing me aside when I had something important to say to you." Oh boy. I can't believe that I am going to say it. Finally say it! She thought to herself.

"And what is it that you wanted to say?"

Sarah blushed and looked away from Jareth's steady gaze. "Ahh...just that..ummm..well...I'm sorry and I...I...uhh..."

Jareth brought her face back in front of his and kissed her tenderly on the lips.

"I know. I love you, too."

Sarah felt like fireworks were going off inside her stomach, and she couldn't shake the tingling that was working its way through her whole body. She could feel his breath on her cheek and his hands keeping her drawn to him.

"How did you know?"

"This." 

He pulled away and showed her the crystal. "It would only lead you to me if you truly loved me. Whenever we are apart, it will go back to being blue. It is only when we are together that it shows its true beauty. That is how you were able to find me."

Sarah ran her hand over the crystal's smooth surface, gazing happily at its shining center. She was perfectly happy to stay in Jareth's arms forever, but she was soon brought back to her surroundings, and the present situation that she and Jareth found themselves in.

"Jareth, what is going on? Who is this Delon person, and why are you here?" 

"It is a long story, one that is too long for right now. I will tell you, but it cannot be here. Now that you are here, I have a chance to get back what is rightfully mine. Delon is my cousin. He came last night and laid claim to the goblin kingdom. What he doesn't know is that the creatures of the kingdom will only be faithful to a new king once the old king is dead. They are still my subjects, even though they may claim to be faithful to him."

"Why would they do that?"

"To aid in a situation like this. They have specific instructions on what to do in case this sort of thing would ever happen."

"But Hoggle didn't know what was going on. I called him this morning after you wouldn't answer."

"Hoggle was not born in this kingdom. Creatures who are not born here do not have to same connections with the rest of the us. Now, lets see if we can find a way out."

"But, I thought that you were without your powers."

"I am. But, since you brought this lovely crystal with you, I can borrow a bit."

"I'm not sure I understand."

"You humans put a lot of importance of being in love, right? You think that it is the most powerful force on earth. What you don't realize is that you are right. Love is more powerful than any magic than even I posses. It can do wonderful things. It is the ultimate destroyer of evil. Our love for each other is what will destroy Delon. He cannot fathom the possibilities of loving someone. His soul has been lost for too long to remember what it was like to be loved."

"How sad. He must lead a miserable life."

"He has done a lot of terrible things, Sarah, and a lot of innocent people have been hurt because of his actions. 

"Why is he such an evil person?"

"Some say it has to do with what he is. He is half human, half fae. His mother was a noblewoman in the Underground court when she fell in love with a human. How she met him or saw him, no one knows. She came to my father and my uncle, begging them to send her Aboveground so that she could be with this man. They would not consent at first because the two worlds are so different, and she might be persecuted if anyone ever found out what she was and where she came from. But, she insisted that she would not do anything that would arise suspicion and would live like a human. My uncle was crushed. He had fallen in love with the woman, and had even asked her to marry him. But, she would not have him. So, her wishes were granted, and she was sent to live Aboveground. She did marry the man she had fallen in love with, and they had a child, Delon, shortly after they married."

"What happened?"

"The man was killed. She had no one to turn to, for she had devoted her entire existence on Delon. She couldn't work, she didn't have any skills except for a bit of magic, and she had promised that she wouldn't use it. So, she called for my uncle, and he returned Delon and his mother back to the Underground. They were accepted back into the court with open arms. Delon grew up like any other child in the court, except he didn't have any magic abilities. His human half had almost completely taken over, and he could do none of the tricks and spells that the other children had been doing since they were too young to know any better. So, he grew up bitter about not being able to do what everyone else could do. My uncle had married the woman when Delon was only an infant, so he grew up being told that he was my uncle's son, which is probably why he was so angry all of the time. Never had a fae child been born without some magical ability, and he couldn't understand why he didn't have any."

"So, he learned how to use it, then?"

"Exactly. Which also means that there are loopholes in his magic. His power is weak, his spells don't last long, that kind of thing. He hasn't been exposed to it long enough to be able to harness all of the potential that magic has. Do you understand?" 

"A little. I suppose that it will take more explanations for me to understand."

"That, my love, is for a whole other story. What we have to do now is get out of here." Jareth looked above him and towards the light coming from the top of the oubliette.

"How do you propose we do that?"

"Magic, my dear. Pure and simple magic."


	9. Does True Love Conquer All?

Delon groggily opened his eyes to a blurry world

Chapter 9

Does True Love Conquer All?

Delon groggily opened his eyes to a blurry world. His head ached, and he felt like he had been asleep forever. Rising off of the throne, he stumbled about, not able to gain his balance. He was sure that the floor was moving beneath him as he swayed back and forth. "Damn that Jareth if he didn't make it like that on purpose." thought Delon, steadying himself on a pillar. He breathed deeply a few times to clear his head and gain a bit of balance.

"I wonder what my dear cousin is up to." Delon summoned a crystal and concentrated on seeing Jareth's face in its depths. The crystal had decided that it was not going to cooperate, and showed only darkness. "Perhaps we shall see what the lovely Sarah is doing." He was me with the same response.

"Having some trouble with that, Delon?" Jareth's voice came from his right.

Delon turned quickly to see Jareth leaning against a pillar, arms folded across his chest.

"But...How did you.."

"Get out? Well, lets just say that I had a lot of help from a little bird."

"You really are getting on my nerves, Jareth. I thought I had handled you once. Well, I see that you need a refresher course on the fact that you have no magic."

Delon put out his hand, and Jareth was slammed against the wall, tied there by thick ropes. He's getting weaker. I had to do the ropes myself. Jareth thought smugly to himself. I just hope Sarah remembers what to do.

* * * * * * * *

Sarah slowly climbed the stairs to the throne room. Jareth had wanted to confront Delon by himself and give him the opportunity to showcase his power, wearing him out so that he would be weak later on. He heart thudded in her throat, making her wish that she was with Jareth right now. She didn't know what she would find at the top of the stairs, but she was determined to follow Jareth's instructions. 

When she did reach the top, she was not surprised at what she saw. Delon's back was to her, and Jareth was tied to the wall in front of her. Jareth gave away her presence by smiling at Sarah, which made Delon spin around to face her. He crossed the throne room in large strides, grabbing Sarah by the arm and dragging her back in front of Jareth.

"So, the two lovers reunite at last. I do hope that it was worth the waiting, Jareth. Enjoy it while you can, because you won't be around long enough to enjoy everything about this lovely girl." He ran his hand up Sarah's arm, only to be stopped when she slapped him across his face.

"Keep your hands off of me, you filthy bastard."

"Such strong words from such a pretty face. Mustn't let the Kingdom hear such words escape from their queen's lips, my dear. But, that is something we can work on together." His breath stank on her neck, and she recoiled in disgust.

"I would never consent to being your queen. Never!"

"But, you keep forgetting that my weak cousin has nothing to offer you. No lands, no title, nothing. Not one smudge of dust does he own. Look at him! Weak, pitiful, no power, he might as well be human! What could he offer you that I have not?"

Sarah looked at Jareth, seemingly helpless. The look in his eyes told her everything that she need to know to answer. "Love"  


"Love! Ha! A silly, overrated emotion that you humans are much too fond of. You think you have it all figured out when it comes to love, but you are dead wrong. Love is nothing. It makes people do stupid things they wish they hadn't. Just ask your beloved Jareth. He's lost an entire kingdom, plus everything else he possesses because of love. Ask him if he regrets any of it."

"She doesn't need to ask it because she knows the answer." Jareth replied in a quiet voice.

"Does she? Let's see how well you think she knows you. How about it, Sarah? Do you think that Jareth regrets what has happened?"

She didn't take her eyes off of Jareth's face. "I know that he does regret not telling me how much he loved me at the beginning. But, I also know that he would not give up the chance because of loosing his kingdom." She looked at Delon, eyes filled with rage. "Our love is stronger than anything you have ever encountered, and it is scaring the hell out of you."

"Damn you, you stupid girl! I am giving you the chance to rule a kingdom beside me!"

Raising his arms parallel to the ground, Delon shouted, "You had your chance to save yourself and your love. Now, I am going to teach you a lesson about real magic."

Sarah flew across the room and landed against the wall opposite the one where Jareth was tied. Shackles grew out of nowhere and wrapped themselves around her legs and arms. Sarah winced from the pain and tried to stay still so that the chains would not dig into her skin anymore than they already were. Suddenly, the chains disappeared and Sarah dropped to the floor, her body aching from all of the sudden actions that it had been put through.

"Dammit! No!" Delon cried out when he realized that his spell had not lasted long. Seeing that both Jareth and Sarah had been released from their bindings, Delon weakly threw a spell at Jareth that tied his hands behind his back and turned to a large book that sat on a table near the throne.

"If I only had something to throw." thought Sarah. The back of Delon's head was making such an alluring target that it seemed unnatural not to want to throw something at it.

I wouldn't do that if I were you. Jareth's voice came into her thoughts.

Why not? She asked the voice back.

Because you don't have anything strong enough to throw at him. Look here. Sarah's eyes flew past Delon and at Jareth. She saw something gold glimmer in his hands. The crystal. She looked at Jareth's face, and saw a sly grin creep on his mouth as he winked at her.

Sarah slowly got to her feet and noiselessly crossed the throne room. Delon still had his back turned to the pair as he fumbled through the big leather book, muttering under his breath. Sarah slipped her hand between Jareth's, never taking her eyes off of Delon's back. She wrapped her hand around the warm crystal and withdrew it from Jareth's grip and hid her hand behind her back. I can play this part. She thought, After all, I always wanted to be an actress. Now we shall see how good I am at fooling someone.

"King Delon. I will make you an offer." Sarah's voice came out loud and strong, taking Delon by surprise when he saw that she had moved. His eyes narrowed into slits and he wet his lips hungrily.

"What is that, my sweet?"

His answer made Sarah want to gag, but she resisted the urge and continued, lowering her eyelids so that her eyes were half shut and giving Delon a smoldering look that made his eyes nearly pop out of his head. "Jareth is such a silly man for loving me. He should have known that I cannot truly love anyone but myself. Well, that and whomever shows me what real power is like. You, my handsome devil, have done just that."

"Do go on."

Good job, Love. Keep him preoccupied.

"Since you already obtain so much magic an power in this kingdom, I think that you would be better suited to meeting my every whim and fancy rather than some ridiculous creature who can't even show his supposed true love just how much she means to him. Therefore, Delon darling, I want to be your queen."

"Oh yes! I knew that you would see it my way."

"But, on one condition."

"Anything for you, my dove."

"Catch this!" Sarah yelled as she hurled the gold crystal straight at Delon. Taken aback by her actions, he ducked too late and the crystal struck him right in the chest.

Wind began to race through the throne room as Delon clutched his chest in agony. He felt like his entire body was being ripped to shreds. Blood pounded in his ears and he felt himself fall to the ground. His body began to glow brighter and brighter until Jareth and Sarah both shielded their eyes away from the blinding light. The wind whipped through the throne room with a deafening roar and picked up Delon along with it. He hovered over the fire for a split second before succumbing to the bright light and shattering into dust.


	10. Come What May

Come What May

Author's Note: Okay, here it is, the last chapter. I hope you liked it. I had fun writing it, and I had to get this out just to wrap things up. 

Disclaimer: Today's title belongs to the movie Moulin Rouge, and it is sung by Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman. Says pretty much what I want. Labyrinth characters don't belong to me. They belong to...well, I think we all know who they belong to.

Chapter 10

Come What May 

Jareth's bindings fell away and he reached out and brought Sarah towards him. 

"You did it, Sarah! I knew you could."

Sarah leaned against Jareth's chest, physically and emotionally exhausted from everything she had been through. 

"I didn't think that it was going to be that easy. I thought that we would have to fight him, or something. It just seemed too easy."

"Don't feel like that. He really is gone, and he won't be a threat to use anymore." Jareth lightly stroked Sarah's hair.

"I suppose that I just didn't expect it to be that simple."

"No, but it was. Now, what are we going to do about you?"

"What do you mean, what are we going to do about me? I want to stay with you."

"Yes, but have you forgotten about your family? And a certain job that you were supposed to be headed back to today?"

"Oh my God! I completely forgot! Oh no, what am I going to do? It must be almost dinner time and my family must be frantic with worry! I have to go home."

"No problem."

In a flurry, Sarah and Jareth were standing outside of Sarah's house. Sarah looked down to see that her dirt smudged clothes were clean and pressed, and shot a look at Jareth. He looked very ordinary in his shirt and pants, face void of any sort of embellishment, and hair cut. 

"Don't worry, its not permanent. Shall we see your family?"

A quiet knock on the front door from Sarah brought her father to hurriedly answer the door. 

"Sarah! Where have you been all day? When we saw your suitcase still in your room, we knew that you hadn't left yet, but you never told us where you were going." He looked over to Jareth, "Sarah, who is this?"

Karen came bustling in from the kitchen, dishcloth in hand. She looked worried, but upon seeing Sarah, breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness you are all right. What has been going on today? Your car has been in the driveway, yet you have simply vanished." Karen caught sight of Jareth and lowered her voice, "Is there something you want to tell us?"

"As a matter of fact, there is. Dad, Karen, this is Jareth. He called me this morning and wanted to talk. That is where I have been all day. I'm sorry that I left without telling you and that I have not been home all day. I guess time just sort of slipped away from me."

"Time is funny about doing that. In fact, there is something that I have been wanted to do for a long time." Jareth pulled something out of his pocket and got down on one knee, "Sarah, we have know each other for so long and I have come to feel more for you than just mere friendship. I wasn't sure until today that you returned my love for you. Now, I want to spend eternity with you. Will you marry me?" He slipped a gold band on Sarah's finger. One closer inspection, she saw that there was a tiny gold crystal embedded in the band.

Sarah heard Karen start to sob behind her, and she felt tears of her own begin to well under her eyes. At that moment, she knew what it felt like to love someone completely and have them love you back. Without hesitation, she replied,

"Yes, Jareth. I will marry you."

* * * * * * * *

Jareth and Sarah stood on a balcony in the castle, overlooking the entire Labyrinth. The breeze blew gently, weaving its way through the wisps of Sarah's hair that had escaped it's intricate style. The sun was just beginning to kiss the horizon, turning the landscape into a brilliant red and orange. Jareth stood behind Sarah and wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"Think you can handle the residents of the Goblin City, Your Highness?"

"I should hope so. After all, I have had a good teacher in the man who calls himself their king. I suspect that I will be very busy with all of this new responsibility."

Jareth turned Sarah around to face him, "Ahh, I see. But I hope that you will take time out for yourself. We cannot live on work alone, you know."

"Thanks to you, I do. Thank you."

"For what, Love?" He lifted her chin with his finger.

"For being so patient with me. I was a fool."

"No, I was the fool for not showing you how I felt. But know this now, I will love you forever. Never forget that."

Sarah laid her head against Jareth's chest and together they watched the sunset over their kingdom, marking the beginning of the rest of their lives.

The End

Come What May

Never knew I could feel like this

Like I've never seen the sky before

Want to vanish inside your kiss

Every day I love you more and more

Listen to my heart, can you hear it sing?

Telling me to give you everything

Seasons may change, winter to spring

But I love you until the end of time

Come what may, come what may

I will love you until my dying day

Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place

Suddenly it moves with such a perfect grace

Suddenly my life doesn't seem such a waste

It all revolves around you

And there's no mountain too high, no river too wide

Sing out this song and I'll be there by your side

Storm clouds may gather and stars may collide

But I love you until the end of time

Come what may come what may

I will love you until my dying day


End file.
